saddleback pig in the city

Last Friday I took a day off. To start my lovely long weekend Mitch and I went to visit Hackney City Farm. I've been wanting to go to a farm for quite some time now but wasn't even aware that there was one in east London until a friend mentioned it a couple of weeks ago.

The city farm is cute and compact boasting chickens, geese, ducks, sheep, goats, donkeys and, my favourite, pigs! A short walk from Bethnal Green tube station, the farm also has a v.nice cafe with indoor and outdoor seating not to mention tasty tarts and cakes, a greenhouse and herb garden which you're free to wonder about in. Coupled with the beautiful weather, I had the perfect day out and would highly recommend that Londoners take advantage of the farm in the city - it's fun, FREE and if you're lucky you might see some little piggies!

We were v.lucky indeed. The saddleback sow on the farm had recently given birth to about 10 piglets! They were adorable and, outrightly, the highlight of the visit for me. These pictures do not do them justice.

Another breed of pig also lives on the farm, she was enormous, I couldn't fit all of her in the frame.

The goats and sheep were a little aloof but the two donkeys were super friendly and let us pet and feed them. They have such soft ears.

A large variety of farm birds live on site including some of the prettiest chickens I've seen.

Lastly we saw the farm's ultra shy guinea pigs. Aw.

On the walk back to the station we popped into the Museum of Childhood which apart from sounding wonderfully whimsical, is actually part of the V&A Museum. Like the farm it's free to visit (absolutely loving all the fun free things to do in our city at the moment)! I'd say it's worth a little look even if it's just to see all the bizarre toys and games which have entertained children throughout the 20th Century, you'll probably recognise some of them or perhaps that's just me getting old...!